Zack Polanski has been confirmed as the Green Party’s candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, setting up a closely watched contest against Labour in the seat formerly held by Sir Keir Starmer. The by-election, scheduled for October 8, was triggered by Starmer’s resignation as an MP following his removal as prime minister and replacement by Andy Burnham. Polanski, who leads the Green Party and serves as a London Assembly member, defeated local councillor Hamza Chowdhury in a members’ vote held after online hustings on Thursday night.
The historically Labour seat has been held continuously by the party since its creation in 1983. Only two Labour MPs have ever represented Holborn and St Pancras: former health secretary Frank Dobson, who served from 1983 to 2015, and Sir Keir Starmer. Yet voters in the constituency have shifted toward Green and independent candidates in recent years, and the party made notable gains in the May local elections across the London Borough of Camden, which covers the constituency.
A Test of Burnham’s Early Authority
The by-election represents an early popularity test for Andy Burnham, who replaced Starmer as prime minister and now faces the prospect of losing a seat Labour has held for over four decades. Polanski framed the contest as a direct referendum on Labour’s direction.
“It’s clear, everyone knows it’s the Green Party against Labour,” Polanski said on Friday. “And before May, we had one councillor here, and now we have 10.”
Green Party MP Hannah Spencer said local party members “overwhelmingly” chose Polanski over Chowdhury, after the councillor argued the constituency did not need “another MP who arrives during an election campaign” and then “disappears once the votes are counted.”
Polanski dismissed the criticism, saying: “I think the local party already knows that doesn’t describe me at all. It’s a place that I knows very, very well.” He pledged to campaign relentlessly in the final 27 days before polling day. “I’ll be on the doorsteps, day in, day out, listening to people about the issues that matter to them, because a Green voice like mine will not waver.”
Labour’s Candidate Faces Racist Abuse
Labour’s candidate, Sagal Abdi-Wali, has been subjected to what has been described as “straightforward racism” from Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf. The Reform UK leader wrote on X that the frontrunner was “born in Somalia,” questioning whether voters understood “what’s happening.”
Abdi-Wali, a former child refugee, has led Camden Council since May this year and served as a councillor for Camden Square since 2022. Polanski condemned Yusuf’s remarks as “despicable” and pledged “unconditional solidarity” with Labour’s candidate.
“I will stand with any candidate who is facing abusive attacks, and at the same time put forward Green Party policies that are going to make life easier for everyone in this country and in this constituency,” Polanski said.
Polishing the Green Message
Polanski has previously expressed excitement at the prospect of winning the seat and entering the Commons. Support for the Greens surged during his first year as leader, though national polling has dipped since Burnham took over Downing Street. The by-election offers Polanski a chance to reverse that trend and prove the Greens can compete in a traditional Labour stronghold.
The contest also highlights the Green Party’s growing local infrastructure in Camden, where council gains this year have provided a platform for a credible challenge. Whether that translates into a parliamentary victory remains uncertain, but the signals from the constituency suggest Labour’s grip is no longer unshakeable.
Why it Matters
The Holborn and St Pancras by-election carries symbolic weight far beyond its immediate outcome. A Green victory in a seat Labour has held for 43 years would signal a realignment in British politics, demonstrating that the traditional left-of-centre vote can fracture when voters seek an alternative to both Labour and the right. For Burnham, losing Starmer’s former seat would undermine his authority at a critical early stage of his premiership, while a strong Green showing would energise the party’s base and bolster Polanski’s leadership. The racist abuse directed at Labour’s candidate also underscores the toxic discourse surrounding immigration and identity in British politics, a theme that could shape the wider electoral landscape ahead.
